Late Development Changes
Apparently, memory alteration wasn’t even a mechanic in the game until recently.
With a slightly longer development time comes unfortunate shifts within the game’s development. Remember Me has had an impressive amount of changes made to it over the years, with a new publisher, target platform, name and core gameplay mechanics added or altered over its four years in development. Whilst these changes might all be for the better, it’s worth remembering that the final product may wind up being a title that is merely a mish-mash of concepts that lacks a core creative direction.
Derivative Gameplay
New IPs are meant to be exciting as they offer us new gaming opportunities. When the setting, art design and gameplay mechanics look as derivative as they do in Remember Me though, we might as well just have another sequel on our hands. The combat looks like a classic style fighting system and the memory alteration sequences look like a poor man’s Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. All these elements could be merged to create something totally new, but the sum of its parts make Remember Me seem lacking in originality.
Limited Memory Alteration
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective involves a similar mechanic of altering the past by manipulating objects, but it will be a tough act to follow.
From the looks of the single proper gameplay demo we have, the memory alteration gameplay is the stand out new mechanic. Some games have tried a similar thing before, but it certainly looks like an inspired design choice. In terms of actual fun though, it does seem rather limited. It may just have been from an earlier and easier section of the game, but the memory alteration segment seemed far too easy. There weren’t that many objects to interact with, the solution was painfully obvious and the amount of handholding made it seem worse than an exceptionally safety conscious preschool. Let’s just hope Dontnod can do their idea justice in the gameplay department.
Uninspired Dialogue
I understand that trailers are usually full of hyperbole and garish shenanigans in order to appeal to as wide an audience as possible, but the dialogue in the trailers for Remember Me still seemed a little empty. Even in the gameplay trailer, things were just dull. In seven minutes of gameplay, nothing made me feel attached to any of the characters, and I got no real sense of what direction the story was meant to be taking. Naturally, it wouldn’t be wise to assume that a demo is indicative of the quality of the full product, but there’s reason for doubt in the current Remember Me trailers.
